When a Puerto Rican thinks of "mom's cooking," he or she thinks
of the way mother served stewed red beans with rice. As a great
lover of beans, I can appreciate them cooked in almost any manner,
and as a chef, I am always creating new ways of preparing these
wonderful legumes. In this new dish, as with other stewed bean
dishes to follow, I make use of precooked or puréed
vegetables, such as squash, carrots, turnips, and sweet potatoes. I
control the consistency of the sauce without altering the taste of
the beans. Using yellow vegetables, I supplement the nutritional
value of the beans without adding the additional starch found in
the tubers.

Incorporating diced tubers, such as malanga (giant-sized taro),
yautia (taro), and yuca (cassava), is a culinary custom in
traditional Puerto Rican home cooking. The glutinous property of
these tubers mixes with the natural stock of the beans, creating a
perfect emulsifier that holds the beans together. Although the
result is terrific, the naturally nutty flavor of the bean tends to
become subordinated to the intense flavor of the starchy
tubers.

In my new style of Puerto Rican bean cookery, I offer a method
where the combined properties of the vegetables act as natural
emulsifiers and sweeteners. And the sum of all these ingredients
interacting and blending together renders an exquisite new way to
enjoy the bean at its best.

Ingredients

1/4 pound banana squash

1/3 cup olive oil

5 garlic cloves, minced

5 shallots, thinly sliced

1/3 cup chopped red bell pepper

2 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro

1 teaspoon chopped fresh parsley

2 teaspoons chopped fresh oregano (1 teaspoon dried)

1/2 cup lean diced ham

4 medium tomatoes, peeled (use the charred method to peel
tomatoes)

1 cup dry red table wine

1 pound simmered red beans with stock

1/4 teaspoon pulverized rock salt

1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper

Preparation

Peel the banana squash and simmer in enough water to cover the
squash until fully cooked. Discard water and mash the squash with a
fork or blender while it is still hot. Set the purée
aside.

In a preheated kettle on low heat, combine olive oil, garlic,
shallots, red bell pepper, cilantro, parsley, oregano, and ham.
sauté slowly, until most of the oil has been absorbed. Stir
in tomatoes and squash purée and bring to a sizzle.

Stir in the wine and allow to cook down to a thick paste
consistency. Slowly break down the paste and the bean stock until
achieving a rich sauce. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Lower the heat, then gently fold in the beans and blend without
damaging the beans. Simmer for approximately 12 minutes.

Serving Suggestions: Serve with White or Yellow
Rice. This is also good alongside Avocado Salad or Avocado Salad
with Chayotes.